Protective covering for orchards.



L. T. GADWALLADBR & H. E. ANTHONY. PROTECTIVE oovnnme FOR OROHARDS. APPLICATION FILED 15118.10, 1913.

1,106,624. Patented Aug. 11, 1914.

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LEWIS 'rfcanwALLADEB. AND-HOWARD E. ANTHONY, or LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that we, LEWIsT. CADWAL- LADER and-HOWARD E. ANTHONY, citizens of the United States, and residing'in the city of Los Angeles, county of-Los Angeles, and State of California, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Protective Coverings for Orchards, of which the following is a specification. This invention relates to protective coverings for orchards, andthe principahobject is to provide a flexible covering whichunay be drawn above and form a temporary roof for an orchard.

It is a further object to provide a supporting frame work for such a protective covering together with rolls upon which the fabric may be wound, and suitable drums to wind the cable in drawing the protective covering over the frame work.

in the drawings accompanying this speci ficationFigure 1 is a perspective 'view of a small section of an orchard showing the covering drawn over a portion of the frame work. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the frame work and the operating mechanism. Fig.3 is a side elevation on an enlarged scale show ing an end view of one of the corner rolls. Fig. 4: is a front elevation of one of the corner rolls.

More specifically in the drawings, 5 designates the ground upon which are growing the treesG which require a certain amount of protection from low temperature and ex cessive winds. Preferably erected outside the margin of the grove at a point from which the worst winds occur, are erected the uprights 7 upon which is secured the cross frame 8, the timbers being high enough to reach above the top' of mature trees.

The outer and upper corners of the cross timber 8 have spaced thereonat suitable intervals the corrugated rollers 9, these rollers being so disposed upon the cross beam 8 that the fabric 10 carried thereover will clear the timbers completely.

At the opposite end of the orchard are erected the uprights 11 spaced in any desired manner to support the winding drums 12 in line with the cable 14 which is preferably connected by means of the Spreaders 15 to the free end of one of the fabric strips or curtains 10. v

To brace the uprights 11 the cross bar 16 is preferably secured to their tops being on the same level with the cross bar 8. Inter- Specification of Letters Patent.

PROTECTIVE COVERING FOR ORCHARDS.

Patented Aug. 11, 1914:.

Application filedMarch 10,-1913. Serial No. 753,223.

mediate of the uprights 7 and 11 are placed the uprights 17 spaced any suitable distance in the orchard to assist in sup orting the guide wires 18 connectingthe ars 8 and 16 by means of the cross wires 19 stretched transversely between a pair or more of up- 7 -rights 17.

Winding drums 20 preferably of greater diameter than the rolls 9 are provided, lo-

cated outside and beyond the uprights 7 so an inclined curtain face is provided, and preferably -mounted upon frame work 21 having a journal 22 thereon through which is carried the axle 23 provided on its termi' 'nal end with a crank handle 24,

To regulate the movement of the drum 20, a ratchet 25 is preferably secured rigidly to the axle which engages with the pivoted pawl 26 mounted on the frame work 21 in suitable relation to the ratchet pinion.

Pinions and ratchets may be also secured to the shaft of the winding drum 12 which are supported in suitable brackets 30, the drums also having a crank handle 31.

To keep the fabric stretched in the proper plane, transverse battens 32 and 33 are placed at desired intervals on either side of the fabric which is preferably of light canvas, a pair of these battens being secured by suitable nails or rivets passed through the battens and the fabric 10.

To secure the fabric intermediate the frames 8 and 16 guy wires 34 have hooks 35 adapted to be engaged around the outer end of the battens and through openings in the fabric at proper intervals, and are connected to suitable stake pins 36 which may be driven in the ground at'a proper location to put tension on the guy w1re 34, so as to hold the battens with the fabric firmly to the guide wires 18.

What we claim is: i

1. A protective covering for orchards, comprising a supporting frame work, guide wires connecting said frame, a movable cur tain reinforcing battens for said curtain, a roll to support said curtain, and means to draw said curtain on said guide wires.

2. A protective covering for orchards, comprising a frame, guide wires sup orted on said frame, a movable curtain a apted to be supported on said guide wires transverse battens secured to said curtain, a curtain supporting roll supported adjacent one end of said frame, a winding drum adjacent the oppositely disposed end of said-frame,

and a cable connected to said curtain and adapted to be wound on said drum.

3. A protectix e covering for orchards, comprising a frame, ide wires supported 5 on said frame, a move. 1e curtain adapted to be supported on said guide wires, a roll supported adjacent one end of said frame, a winding drum adjacent the oppositely disposed end of said frame, corrugated rollers 10 to guide said curtain mounted on said frame,

and a cable secured to said curtain and carried over said rollers to said winding drum. 

